| Avoid Saying… | Say This Instead | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | “You look tired…” | “Is everything OK?” |
| 2. | “Good Luck…” | “You’ve got what it takes!” |
| 3. | “You always…” – or – “You never…” No one ‘always’ or ‘never’ does anything |
“I see you’ve done this before.” |
| 4. | It’s up to you… | “I don’t have a strong opinion either way, but a couple things to consider are…” |
| 5. | “Well, at least I never…” This can sound defensive |
Own up to the mistake and say “I’m sorry.” |
| 6. | “As I said before…” | Try to convey your message differently so that you are not repeating yourself. Rephrase and make it clear. |
| 7. | “I can’t help with that.” | “Let me see if I can help or direct you to someone who definitely can.” |
| 8. | “With all due respect…”, “No offense…”, or “To be honest…” | “I totally understand where you’re coming from. If you would allow me, I’d like to share my experience and then you can decide what makes sense.” |
| 9. | “It’s not my fault.” | “I apologize. Let me check and make sure I did that right.” |
| 10. | “I think so.” | “Let me look into it and get the right answer for you.” |
Emotionally intelligent people remain socially aware and choose their words carefully. Add to that a giving mentality and a servant’s heart, there’s no mistaking a bad conversation and you can feel good knowing that the relationships you build will last and will end up with fewer misunderstandings.
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